Process and device for the quenching of coke



March 3, 9 ,A. HABEl RL E 2,876,172

PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR THE QUENCHING OF'COKE Filed Oct. 19. 1953 Y INVENTOR. Hmer 114955245? F7 7-7-oEA E. 7."

United States PatentfO PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR THE QUENCHING OF COKE Albert Hiiherle, Essen-Warden, Germany, assignor, by

mesne assignments,.to Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 19,1953, Serial No. 386,994 3 Claims. (Cl. 102-31 The invention relates to a processforthe quenching of coke, in particular to a process of this type in which a valve for the quenching water is automatically set in operation when a coke quenching train, laden with glow ing coke, approaches a coke quenching tower. In addition the invention relates to devices for carrying out the process according to the invention.

Devices are known in which the spraying with quenching water is automatically switched on in a coke quenching tower by the progress of a quenching train when the quenching trucks thereof approach the coke quenching tower. These devices work, for example, by the driver of the locomotive of the train manually actuating a switching device as the train approaches the quenching tower, this switch then acting on a switch at a fixed point past which the train moves and which switches on the quenching water. The device at the fixed point may be for example an end switch, or alternatively a rising rail, arranged near the quenching tower. The correct functioning of these quenching devices is however dependent on the manual attention of the operating personnel, who is often already occupied by other procedures.

The object of the invention which is described below is to set the quenching process in operation entirely auto matically, i. e. without making any demand on the attention of the operating personnel, when merely by the presence of the quenching wagon when it enters the quenching tower loaded with glowing coke. The device according to the invention does not come into operation when the quenching wagon is empty or it contains cold coke when it passes through the quenching tower.

It is known that the coke, as it is pushed out of the coke oven on to the quenching wagon, has a temperature of about 800. After the quenching of the coke the temperature of the coke is still about l200. Now the invention makes use of this temperature difierence 'to set the coke quenching process in operation quite automatically. According to the invention, the automatic switching in of the valve for the coke quenching water by the coke quenching train, laden with not-quenched coke, when it approaches the quenching tower, is effected by a switching device on the quenching train which is thermally set in operation by the heat given out by the coke in the temperature range between that of glowing and of quenched coke, this thermal switch actuating a further switching device which is arranged at a fixed point along the track and which actuates the quenching water valve.

The device for carrying out this process can be constructed in various ways. Thus for example the heat given out by the glowing coke may be used to act on an electrical switching element, e. g. a thermo-element or a resistance wire. This thermal electrical switching element then acts through a further switching element, for example a relay and/ or an amplifier, to switch on a lamp the condensed light rays from which, when the quenching train approaches the quenching tower 11, strike a photo cell provided at a fixed point relative to the quenching 2,876,172 Patented Mar. 3, 1959 switch projecting in the region of the track of the quenching train, this projecting switch finally switching in the quenching water valve.

The device according to the invention does not require any attention from the operator of the locomotive, so that he can attend to other matters. device the quenching water valve is not switched on if the quenching train is empty or passes through the quenching tower with already quenched coke, since then the thermal electrical switching element, which only responds to temperatures between 200 and 800", does not come into action.

The device according to the invention is improved still further by setting in operation, with the switching in of the quenching water valve, of a time relay which is adjustable with respect to its operating time and which again switches off the quenching water valve, after delivery of the amount of water necessary for quenching.

A further improvement of the device according to the invention consists in the arrangement wherein, on the coming into operation of the thermal electrical switching element on the coke quenching wagon, there is first switched on, not the main quenching valve, but a socalled pre-quenching valve which causes a preliminary spraying of the woodwork inside the quenching tower and thereafter the main quenching water valve is then only switched on when the quenching wagon has passed completely into the quenching tower.

In the figures illustrated on the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1, the general arrangement of apparatus embodying the invention, and in Fig. 2, there is shown an enlarged view of a constructional form of the novel parts of the general arrangement according to the invention, in a simplified form. In the sloping bottom 2 of the quenching wagon of the quenching train, on which is the glowing coke 3, there is an opening in which is arranged a metal rod 1 which expands under the influence of the heat given off by the hot coke and thereby closes the contact 4 through a lever switch. As soon as the contact 4 is closed the lamp 5 lights up, throwing a pencil of light on the photo cell 6, which is arranged at the side 10 of the track for the quenching train. The im pulse of the photo cell 6 is amplified through an amplifier relay 7 so that it then sets in operation the electromagnet 8 which actuates the quenching water valve 9.

What I claim is:

1. A process of automatic coke quenching which comprises switching on the quenching water valve of a coke quenching tower by the movement of a coke quenching train, laden with unquenched coke, as it approaches the quenching tower, characterized by the steps of setting in action a switching device on the quenching train by the heat given oif by the coke in a temperature range between that of glowing and quenched coke, and actuating by said switch device, when so set in action, a further Moreover, with the' element, when it responds to the heat of glowing coke onthe train, and arranged teibe actuated by the thermal elemeh at e fixes! .v i ion in the path Qt the tr n 29 the tower as the tra n hes'the qu nching tower, nd wire m ns. operable .eaid. ac at n t en hink w ter he tram iethe to erc ke quenehine, apparatus eenmrieit s e useeh' a tower; quenching] t ain mevableel a Path one .said wer-i a hermally re ponsive elec ical witching e men arranged on sells! qu nchiee rain, i1! lamthemn t9 re pend e the he igiveh 9 1 by slewiv sake an train; a imher .sm in element and lamp operable by the thermally operated ele ent {9 131-9.- nee sendemesl. l ght rays when, the therma elem ntaspgnes its: heat. loig ewine e ve o the as. the trait;

, th lee eg r,

4, operable by the photo cell; and an eleetromagnetically operated valve operable by the relay for release of quenching water to said train in said gower. 4

33. 9 P8 1 911 7.. 9-. May 3. .53 1,018,253 Mcwillianmg .et al, Feb. 20, 1912 1,103,358 Hess July 14, 1914 1,614,456 Qrossett Jan. 18, 1927. 1,677,973 Mar-guard iuly 24, 1928 1,695,410 Baseler Dec. 18, 1928 1 31,749, Werdley Qt. a l

.22, 1. 1,848,818 Becker 'Mar.'8, 1932 2,171,362 Gulliksen Aug. 29, 1939 2,266,321 Holder Dec. 16, 1941 2,416,595 Reynolds Feb. 25, 1947 2,494,079 Andrews Ian. '10. 1950 

1. A PROCESS OF AUTOMATIC COKE QUENCHING WHICH COMPRISES SWITCHING ON THE QUENCHING WATER VALVE OF A COKE QUENCHING TOWER BY THE MOVEMENT OF A COKE QUENCHING TRAIN LADEN WITH UNQUENCHED COKE, AS IT APPROACHES THE QUENCHING TOWER, CHARACTERIZED BY THE STEPS OF SETTING IN ACTION A SWITCHING DEVICE ON THE QUENCHING TRAIN BY THE HEAT GIVEN OFF BY THE COKE IN ATEMPERATURE RANGE BETWEEN THAT OF GLOWING AND QUENCHED COKE , AND ACTUATING 